The much-hyped Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) under the Sunabeda Development Plan (SDP), meant for people of the Maoist-affected areas of Nuapada district, is yet to be implemented as the State Government still awaits permission from the Centre to utilise the fund.
The SDP was sanctioned with an initial budget of Rs 110 crore in 2013. Then RD Minister Jairam Ramesh had exuded hope that the plan would bring development in the backward areas of Nuapada district and curb the Maoists’ influence on the local residents.
One of the main components of SDP was construction of houses under the IAY. The Centre had allocated Rs 33.22 crore for construction of 6,012 houses under the plan and Rs 16.91 crore was released as the first installment for construction of 3,012 houses.
However, the programme could not be started as the RD Ministry did not allow the State to utilise the fund for the non-PVTGs (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) households.
Then the State Government sent a proposal to the Centre for construction of 6,012 houses under SDP in 12 gram panchayats in Nuapada district identified as Maoist-affected. Out of the total houses, 301 were meant for families belonging to the Chakotia Bhunjia tribe, one of the PVTGs in the State. The State proposed to allot the rest houses to other tribes residing in the left Wing Extremism (lWE)-affected Sunabeda areas.
The RD Ministry had on September 24, 2013 released the 1st instalment of Rs 16.91 crore. Basing on this, the State Government instructed the Nuapada district administration to go ahead with the construction. Accordingly, the district administration allotted work orders to the beneficiaries and instructed them to start work.
It was calculated that more than six crore bricks would be required for construction of 3, 012 houses. District Collector Jaykumar V and PD DRDA Pradip Naik encouraged beneficiaries to engage migrant labourers in making these bricks.
Most of the beneficiaries have already made bricks and collected materials like stone and sand. But the administration is now in a fix as it is unable to release the fund because the Centre is yet to accord approval for inclusion of non-PVTGs in the beneficiaries list.
Meanwhile, the RD Ministry has categorically instructed that the fund allocation was made out of five per cent reserved fund for the PVTGs and the fund would be utilised exclusively for construction of IAY houses for the PVTGs, especially the Chakotia Bhunjia community.
On the other hand the State Government has claimed that the lWE victims are eligible for special allocation out of 5 per cent reserve funds as per IAY guidelines.
“We are waiting for the Government approval to cover all the 6,012 households identified for the project,” DM Jaykumar V has said.
On the other hand, the delay in the construction of houses has created resentment among the beneficiaries. In view of the persisting Red rebel activities in the Sunabeda area, the delay seems hampering confidence building process between the people and the administration, feel educated people here.